The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-02-03
MOOSE-HUNTING BY JACK.
LIGHT.

through the mud in which they grow,
attaining thickness exceeding a
mans arm, and an indefinite length.
In color they are a pale greenish or
yellowish white, smooth on the ex
terror, except for a number of eyes
! like those on a pine apple, somewhat
elastic to the touch, and pithy within.
There is no disputing about tastes,
and consequently we will not criticise
/ the moose for being so fond of this
vegetable But to the human palate,
it is dry, insipid, and puckery. To
obtain this he will wade out into the
water. and souse his head beneath the
surface until even his ears are sub
| merged. Then, having wrenched a
chunk Of greater or less length from
! its bed, he withdraws his head, and
! dripping water from each of the num-
erous angles which characterize his
ugly physiognomy, he stands the pic
/ ture of pure animal enjoyment, chew
! ing away at one end Of the root, while
/ the other sticks out of his mouth
/ like a cigar To catch him in the
middle of this performance is the
constant burden of the hunters pray
ers.
Should the night promise to be still,
warm, and dark, the hunter scours the
reflector of his jacks until it shines
! like silver. and breathes upon and
wipes its glass lens until it is speck
less. The lamp within should emit a
powerful light; but the casing must
be 50 constructed that not the faintest
! glimmer can escape until its aid Is re
quired, and a hinged cover, which caps
the glass, is dropped.
For though a deer will almost al
ways tempt fate by standing stock
still, gaping at light like back
woodsman IN a city, the moose Is no
such fool. If he had any curiosity,
he recognizes the great general prin-
ciple that there is time for all things,
and that the time to study an I'M
usual phenomenon comes only after
he has betaken himself to cover.
In this, as in most other forms of
moose-hunting, two form the company
one to do the work, while the other
takes in the fun-and, as in many
other things in this life, ultimate sue
cess depends more on the skill of the
former than on that of the latter
After the jack has been lit some
twenty minutes, SO that the maximum
of light possible without smoke is as
sTed the pair betake themselves to
the canoe. Blankets are spread on
the bottom of the boat to deaden any
motion of the feet. He who is to
shoot seats himself In the bow, while
| his companion first wraps him in
blankets, and then arranges the jack.
! This Is best suspended from a frame
behind the ritieman; but it should be
50 connected with his head that the
beam of light Will follow its every
motion when the jack is open. With
the glass uncovered, the rife is thrown
to the shoulder, and the connection Of
the jack with the head-gear is so ad-
justed that when the most convenient
aim is taken, it will be directly
in the centre of illumination. Thus
both sights Of the rife are perfectly
visible, and the difficulty is no longer
to shoot with accuracy, but only to OBJ
tain sufficiently distinct view of the
object to be hit.
When this iscomplete, the other takes
his place III the stern, folds his blank
ct over his lap, and grasping his pad
die, pushes from the bank The jack
is then closed, and complete darkness
and silence follow.
As noiseless as the shadow of a
cloud, the canoe steals along, and hour
after hour It's occupants, relying sole
ly on the sense of hearing, strain
every nerve to detect an indication of
the near neighborhood of the game
they seek.
1t is not so hard on the paddler.
since the exercise keeps his blood in
circulation and his nerves in some
sort of condition. But the man in the
bow fares differently. Aches and
pains declare themselves in all sorts
Of places, together with the most in
sane desire to cough, or sneeze, or
blow his nose, or do something else
equally inopportune He strains his
ears till they almost crack; he thinks
he hears all kind of noises, until his
confidence in his ability to distinguish
the real from the imaginary is almost
destroyed. He suffers, but he suffers
in silence, and with patient resigna-
ton.
Should a sound be heard near, but
not on or in the stream, the canoe
pauses, and minute drags after
minute; perhaps even an hour is pass
ed without sound or motion, until it
is certain that it was false alarm, or
that the animal has betaken itself else
where
AT last comes a slow and measured
sound slosh, slosh, slosh; and then
all is still again. The heart of the
hunter shrivels within him to the size
Of lemon, and flies into his throat,
where it keeps up such humping
that it seems impossible the noise
should escape the quick ear of the
game. With the utmost caution the
rifle IS brought to the full-cock, and
the left hand freed, ready to open the
jack at the preconcerted signal, which
it is the duty of the paddler to give.
Every ache and pain is at once for
gotten in the all absorbing questions,
VIII he remain in the water, or take
to the bank, and burying himself in
the woods, escape? For he is still far
beyond the range of the jack, and not
till it will surely show him up must it
be opened. If the motion of the canoe
was slow before, it seems doubly so
now, and minute after minute. each
apparently an hour, drags on, and
still the noise, repeated at intervals,
seems no nearer.
At length, after seemingly endless
delay, comes the signal to open the
Jack, and the light streams forth
There he stands, midleg-deep in the
water, dim, shadowy, and monstrous.
his eyes glazing green in the light, with
the malevolence of a demon. He will
stay but for second, and only to de